The Shifter Chronicles #3 - The Return
by A. A. Kuehl
Summary: Anna is in the hospital, but not for long. Her 'aunt' and 'uncle' are moving her back in with her 'parents'. She is already a member of the Sharing where she lived. Almost a full member. A full member is a Yeerk. Maybe the end of the Animorphs...


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The Return  
  
By A. A. Kuehl

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Prologue

My name is Stryke. No, I'm not kidding. I go by Stryke. At least this me goes by Stryke. I also go by Anna and Lex. But I can't except you to understand. I should explain.

I am a Shifter. A Shifter is an alien who is capable of looking like a human. The Shifter has one body and three minds. One: a human. Two: a Navarazzi. Three: myself, the Shifter. Anna is the name of the human who lives in me. Anna is also the human name I have. Lex, better known as Lex-Cossette-Keke-Blade-Huntress-Shifting Experiment II, is the Navarazzi in me. And there's me, the Shifter who controls the body, Stryke. I am the only known Shifter on Earth. I chose to stay on Earth, well, because it's my home. I consider myself a human. A human with bat wings, venomous fangs, claws, who is nocturnal, but a human.   
  
Are you a person who wonders what it would be like if aliens landed on Earth? Stop wondering. It's happened. Many times.   
  
There are at least four species that you may see and think, "Hey, it's a normal person, what are you talking about?" Take me, for instance. I am average height, I keep my long blonde hair in a tight braid, I wear jeans all the time, a solid colored T-shirt, beat-up sneakers that look like a pack of dogs decided to chew them. The only thing that's publicly unusual about me is my eyes. They are larger, and the pupils are just slits, like a cat's. Plus, I have a scar over one. But you'd walk right past me. A bully would try to beat me up. And then, only then, would you see just how different I was.   
  
I'd Shift a little. I'd grow claws. My eyes would glow. My teeth would grow a little, my last finger would shrink slightly. And you'd swear I'd get a small lump in the middle of my forehead. And after I punched your face in, I'd Shift back and you'd think I had hit you on your head one too many times. Then I'd walk away. You would put the instance out of your mind, trying to forget a thirteen year old just beat you up.   
  
You'd never think you had just lost a dominance fight with a Navarazzi, would you?   
  
I envy you. I was once that ignorant of what was happening. But someone once said: ignorance is bliss, at least until it kills you. That's my life now. Constant danger. But hey, I knew the job was dangerous when I took it. And if I'd never known, I'd be dead now.

By now, I either have your full attention or you think I'm crazy. So I'll go on. Aliens walk among us. No, I'm not some conspiracy nut. I would know. Not only am I one, but I fight some, and I hang out with some.   
  
Who do I fight? The Yeerks. Slugs who live off of Kandrona rays. Slugs who die if they don't visit their Pool after three days. Slugs who crawl in your head and control your every move. That's when you become a Controller.   
  
And if you think you can overpower a Yeerk, guess again. I know. I used to think I could handle being a Controller. I was wrong. I had been infested with a Yeerk, Sub Visser Nine, to be specific, and the Yeerk was dominant. Yeerk-master. Host-slave. Period. I had no secrets. The Yeerk could read my mind. I couldn't penetrate its thoughts, but I could feel its emotions. But enough about Yeerks, let's talk about Andalites.   
  
Andalites are the most mysterious race in the galaxy, in my opinion. They seem like they can take care of themselves, but if you can get past the law of Seerow's Kindness, you find out they are actually a little lonely. See, the Andalites first found the Yeerks in some pretty worthless hosts. I think Aximili called them Gedds. But, anyway, this scientist called Seerow gave the Yeerks some advanced technology, and one thing led to another. Now, the Yeerks have a large empire and the Andalites feel guilty about it. So they don't tell about it. They don't share information or technology. And they don't trust aliens. But Aximili does, fortunately.   
  
I'd love to tell you more about Navarazzis, but the chip my brother, Notum, gave me only has so much information on it. All I know is what I've gotten from personal experience, a few words, some customs and a few other things.   
  
But I'm getting off track. Back to the life and death, save the world and all decent species subject. Earth, the humans, and all life on Earth, has one hope: the Animorphs. If you'd like to know who the Animorphs are, read my story. I didn't write this for my own benefit. I wrote it so others will be warned.

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Chapter One

"You mean you've already done it?! You already did it?! How?!"   
  
I had just suggested we try to get into Zone 91 for laughs. I'd always wondered if what they said about it was true. Especially now that I knew I was an alien. And Marco had said 'Been there, done that.'   
  
"We used horse morphs. It was cool. The guy in charge over there thinks our names are Cindy Crawford, Dana Scully, and Fox Mulder." Rachel said.   
  
"X-files, must not get out much. But the big question is: was there really a ship?"   
  
"Alien device, yes. Ship, no." Jake said, hiding a smile.   
  
"What was it? Tell me!"   
  
Everyone except Aximili started laughing. Then Marco whispered it in my ear.   
  
"A PORTA-JOHN!" I exploded in laughter. Everyone else joined in.   
  
"The Most Secret Place On Earth is housing a toilet?! Don't tell the government, we'd embarrass the president out of office."   
  
I should really explain this part. These people were the only hope Earth has. There's Marco, a guy who has a head of bad jokes and whose mother is the host body of Visser One, but don't tell him I told you. There's Jake, the "leader", Marco's best friend. Rachel, Jake's cousin, the warrior of the group. Cassie, Rachel's best friend, the ecology nut. And Tobias, the nothlit, Aximili's best friend, and the hawk of the group. Plus there's Aximili, the Andalite, Elfangor's brother. The guy I kind of like.   
  
The five humans had walked through an abandoned construction site, like they weren't supposed to, and met Elfangor, a dying Andalite prince. He had given them the power to morph, to become any animal they touched. They fight the Yeerks.   
  
Aximili joined them later on, from the crashed Dome ship at the bottom of the sea. He had a human morph he was using right now. It was from bits of the others. A little Marco DNA there, a splash of Cassie there, and let's put in a dab of Jake here. All in all he either looks like a really pretty guy or a handsome girl. But the look works for him.   
  
"I don't see what is so funny about this. Funnnny. Fun-ie. Am I missing something?"   
  
Oh, yeah. Andalites eat with their hooves, so they don't have mouths. So they don't make vocal speech. Therefore, an Andalite in a human morph plays with every sound like a toy. And the sense of taste is intriguing to an Andalite, so they try to eat everything in sight. Aximili had tried to eat a quarter when we went to an arcade once.   
  
"Oh, yeah, I forgot something. It was an Andalite toilet. Ax is a little embarrassed." Marco added, failing at the task of keeping a straight face.   
  
"I am not. Not-tuh."   
  
"Then why are you blushing, Aximili? That's what humans do when they are embarrassed."   
  
I call Aximili by his full name because I think he prefers it.   
  
"I don't know. Knowww. Nuh-ow."   
  
Cassie, being Cassie, the peacemaker, stopped us.   
  
"Well, if an Andalite version of Zone 91 held a human toilet, how would you feel?"   
  
"We would figure out what it was, Cassie."   
  
"My point is, Ax has the right to be embarrassed."

"So, anyway, changing the subject, who asked about my 'condition'?"   
  
My "condition" was nothing more than some severely injured eyes. As I said, I was made into a Controller and Aximili sliced me and diced me. My eyes were so severely wounded I couldn't make them look like that of a human's anymore. The doctors thought a cougar mauled me. Bad cover story. A cougar wouldn't have given me cat eyes, so I've been in the hospital, getting tested, for about a week now. in fact, my Birthday party was in two hours. The others visited me in my room every few days. The staff has begun to wonder why I have such tight friends.   
  
"Doc Harmen, or so he wants us to call him, says they still can't figure out what's wrong with you." Rachel said in an annoyed tone.   
  
"Nothing's wrong with me!"   
  
"Anna, you have cat eyes." Cassie said simply.   
  
"So what?! That's normal!"   
  
"Keep your voice down!" Jake hissed, knowing what was next.   
  
"A Navarazzi has eyes like this. Some humans have eyes like this. This is not unusual. The first thing they asked me was 'Have you ever used drugs?'"   
  
Marco started laughing.   
  
"What'd you say?"   
  
"I said no, of course!"   
  
"Did they give you a test? Just to make sure you weren't lying?"   
  
"Marco, I may be stuck in bed, but I still can beat you up," I warned.   
  
"Yeah right, I'm a grade above you."   
  
"And I'm a few years older than you."   
  
"Yeah, right. You're just turning thirteen!"   
  
"Marco," I said, "do you know how old I am in Navarazzi years?"   
  
"No, tell me," Marco said skeptically.   
  
"I'm twenty-six today."   
  
Marco just stared. He was surprised. Then he found a lame excuse to go ask the nurse if they were giving me medication. Most people who know how tough I am do that when I threaten them. I'm not bragging, I'm known as Gabrielle, from Xena: Warrior Princess. I'd be Xena if the title weren't already taken. And I'm also known for beating the smirk off of some idiot's face at school. The bully trying to beat me up routine I gave you was basically a review of that event. Plus, Navarazzis can bend metal bars the thickness of your wrist like they were butter.   
  
"Twenty-six! Amazing! I thought you said you were thirteen years old, though. Thirrrteen. Teeeen."   
  
That was Aximili, of course.   
  
"As far as any human is concerned, I'm thirteen. Navarazzis age at half the rate of a human."   
  
"Exactly?"   
  
"Approximately."   
  
"Well, anyway, Happy Birthday," Tobias said.   
  
"Thanks," I glanced at the clock, "Tobias, Phillip, why don't you call my folks?" That was the signal that the two hour time limit was almost up. See, stay in morph for two hours and you stay forever. Tobias had learned that once already. His body is now that of a red-tailed hawk. But a nearly all-powerful being called an Ellimist gave him the power to morph back. But we didn't have the Ellimist as an official ally. So if one of us got trapped again...   
  
"Yes. Yesss-suh. That would be a good idea."   
  
"C'mon Phillip. I know where there's a pay phone," Tobias said as they walked out of my room. They'd be back when the party started.   
  
"So. Anyway, how's it going?" Jake asked.   
  
"Okay, I guess. The nurse noticed my ears, though."   
  
Some things are kept throughout human form. For instance, my tongue was longer than a human's. And my ears were oddly shaped, kind of like an Andalite's. And my eyes always glow when you make me mad. Red, if I'm annoyed, and white, if you really make me mad.   
  
"Let's see," Rachel peered over Jake's shoulder.   
  
I pulled back my hair covering my ears. Rachel's eyes widened.   
  
"Hey, she's an elf!" Marco, who had walked into the room, laughed.   
  
"Yeah, well, laugh as much as you want, but when one of the doctors thinks to do a blood test and sees my DNA, let alone the fact that my blood is black, you'll be minus one member of the group. I'd move into Zone 91."   
  
Marco shook his head and smirked.   
  
"Anna, what time did you say your family was coming?" Cassie asked.   
  
I glanced at the wall clock again.   
  
"About an hour. You guys have time."   
  
"Cool. Okay, guys, we know the plan. We meet back here in two hours."   
  
"Synchronize our watches. Everyone is expected back in 1400 hours, sharp. General Jake, lead on! On the double!" Marco said in his best military voice.   
  
Jake and Marco wandered out, laughing. Cassie and Rachel hung around for a little while.   
  
"So, Anna. Do you always have to wear those awful clothes?" Rachel asked me.   
  
"Oh no, here it comes," Cassie groaned.   
  
"Um, what's wrong with a hospital gown?"   
  
"Nothing, it's just they make you look sick. If they let you wear your own clothes, you'd look better. Of course, the clothes you do wear-"   
  
"Don't fall for it, Anna. Don't say yes. Not a good idea to go shopping with Rachel."   
  
"I've done it before."   
  
"Not for yourself, you haven't. Trust me, don't say yes."   
  
Rachel continued like nothing was happening, "The clothes you do wear don't suit you at all. I mean, your shoes look like they got into a fight with a paper shredder and lost. And all you ever wear are jeans. And just solid colored T-shirts and sweaters. I see a patterned blouse in your future, with a nice pair of sweatpants, the exact shade of blue, with some black shoes. Maybe a nice black vest, with silver buttons."   
  
"I do wear my flightsuit," I protested.   
  
"Anna, black is your color, but the flightsuit makes you look like you're about to go to a funeral, scantly dressed."   
  
"Rachel, I can't fly wearing a T-shirt. The midriff top is perfectly shaped."   
  
"Anna, I'll give you that, but at least get one in a different color."   
  
"Rachel, you know I don't like talking about clothes, makeup, or shopping. In fact, you know I hate it. So let's change the subject."   
  
Cassie smiled. That's what I like about Cassie. She's not into shopping and all that other stuff. And I really like helping her at the Animal Rehabilitation Clinic.   
  
"Look, I gotta go. Dad and I are releasing an owl today. Rachel?"   
  
"No, thanks."   
  
"I'd join you if I could, but I'm too sick and weak to join you. You know, I can't leave the safe confines of my bed."   
  
A nurse whom I didn't like had just walked into the room, to check on me. I had said that loud enough for her to hear.   
  
"Oh, wait. I can," I added.   
  
"Don't give me your mouth, brat. I know you hate being here, all the staff does. So shut up or I send a note to the doctor about those ears of yours."   
  
The woman left as I flashed a Navarazzi cat-like smile. I annoyed that nurse every day. I didn't like her bedside manner much, either.   
  
"Well, there's a nurse who knows how to treat a patient. What's her problem, anyway?"   
  
"I annoy her every day. She's got this weird personality complex. When another person is around, she loves kids. Take that person away..."   
  
"I get the idea. Man. I feel sorry for you."   
  
"If there's anything we can do to help," Rachel started to say.   
  
"Sure. Morph me and stay here in my place."   
  
"Anything but that. Sorry."   
  
"Thought so. Look, if you can, for my birthday, could one of you bring a ham or something?"   
  
"Why?" Cassie asked.   
  
"I've been throwing up every night. I can't digest plants too well, and I'm on a strict vegetarian diet. Please. I really need some meat."   
  
Navarazzis are predators. And we can't survive long without meat. Fortunately, I was half human, so I was okay for a while. But having nothing but lettuce, broccoli, apples, and oranges, I was getting sick.   
  
"Don't they give you any?"   
  
"Nope. I bet five bucks it's the fault of that nurse. She doesn't even respect night owls."   
  
"Owls! Dad! Late!"   
  
Cassie ran out of the room in a panic. I guess she forgot about the release.   
  
"Bye Cassie! See you later!" I called after her.   
  
"Night owls?" Rachel asked.   
  
"Nocturnal. I'm nocturnal."   
  
"Oh, yeah, duh. Well, see ya!"   
  
"Bye."

****

Chapter Two

I was playing with my handheld video game when my cousin Nick walked in. Nick is really cool. He's got all these fossils and dig equipment. And his room has some excellent decor. Plus, he's got this earring that's cool. Well, actually, it's not an earring. It's an eyebrow ring. But I think it's cool. And he's really nice. Plus, he's not a Controller.   
  
"Hey, Anna."   
  
"Hey, Nick. What's up?"   
  
"Not much. Level? Score?"   
  
"Three. Two hundred and four-no-Five. And now I'm dead."   
  
"Could I try?"   
  
"Sure."   
  
Nick took the game and started playing.   
  
"So, why are you guys here an hour before the actual party? Better yet, where's everyone else?"   
  
"Mom and dad drove your friends home. Phillip and whatshisname."   
  
"Tobias," I reminded him.   
  
"Yeah," he continued, "Amy is at some meeting of the Sharing."   
  
The Sharing was a front organization for Yeerks. Through the Sharing, they find hosts. Voluntary hosts. Hosts that don't fight back. They work you up through the levels of the Sharing. Then, when they think you're ready, they tell you what the real purpose of the Sharing is. Even then, you may not like it. But once you know, you're already as good as a Controller. Unless you're one of us.   
  
"Cool," I said.   
  
"Yeah. Now look. When you come here, press these two buttons at the same time. See? Power jump."   
  
"Cool. So when are they coming back? And why are you here an hour before the party?"   
  
"They'll be here in about Five minutes."   
  
Nick was hiding something. Something big. Something important.

"Nick, what are you hiding?"   
  
"Hiding? I'm not hiding anything," he said with a laugh, "Why would I be hiding anything?"   
  
"Nick-"   
  
"How's our girl?"   
  
My uncle walked in. He was accompanied by my aunt and my cousin.   
  
"Fine. Why is everyone asking me that? Aside from my eyes and the idiocy of the staff, I'm fine!"   
  
"Okay, okay. Geez, don't keep her cooped up too long!"   
  
My uncle's pretty cool. He takes me to ice cream shops on weekends. And he allowed me to go on a two day camping trip with the others. Of course, we didn't actually go camping. That was our excuse for me being out of the house for the days needed to starve my Yeerk. It's a long story, but not one I intend to tell right now.  
  
"So, how's it going?" my aunt asked.   
  
My aunt is nice. She's kind and generous and flexible. She'd be great, except she's a Controller.   
  
"I'll be blunt. I'm bored out of my skull."   
  
"Yeah, I'm betting you're just waiting to go home," Amy, my cousin said laughing.   
  
Amy's really neat. She's organized and flexible and fun. And she's a Controller. I had met the real Amy when I first visited the Yeerk Pool.   
  
"Yeah," I said, unsure. What did she mean by "home"? My uncle answered for her.   
  
"Great, because that's were you're going once you get out of here. Back to Illinois."

"What?!" I screeched, I had to have heard wrong.   
  
"Anna, you know we're not your real family. And I think you should really visit your home. You've been here so long." my "aunt" said.   
  
"But I like it here!"   
  
"Anna, what about your friends back home?" my uncle asked me gently.   
  
"I have friends here! Good friends. I like it here. I don't want to go back to Illinois!"   
  
"We already talked to your parents. Your father's work is done now. You can come home. You knew your stay wasn't permanent. And you are going home as soon as you get out of the hospital."   
  
My father's work was done. What did that mean? I was kicked out because the Yeerks who controlled my parents had a job too important for some idiot teenager to mess up. So they sent them cross country. Unfortunately, they sent them were they would cause even more trouble for them.   
  
It was funny, actually. I had been sent by the Yeerks to my uncle. They didn't want me in the way. But they had sent me to the one place were I could become an "Andalite Bandit". Now I was even more of a nuisance. But now I would be sent back. The Yeerks weren't active in my hometown. I'd have to tail my parents. I'd have to fight the war alone.   
  
_No, Stryke. Not going to happen. Where will you hunt? Fight? Sleep?_   
  
_Back to normal life?_ Anna said hopefully.   
  
_As normal as you can get, knowing your parents are really under the control of outer space aliens._   
  
"And your parents have already singed you up for the Sharing. You're already a full member. As soon as you get home, they'll initiate you." my aunt said.   
  
"WHAT?! I don't want to be in the Sharing!"   
  
"You were eager to sign up when you got here."   
  
"I don't care! Not happening! I'm staying here! I'll run away before I go back!"   
  
"Anna, I also have an important job. I'd hate to kick out my own niece, but I can't have you running around the house. So either way, you have to go." my aunt said again.   
  
"Besides, in the Sharing you can make newer, even more interesting friends. The whole world changes when you become a full member."   
  
"Yeah, I know. I know how the world changes. I've been through it once, and once is enough, thank you." See, I'd been recently made into a Controller. It was hell.   
  
"How do you know?" my cousin Amy asked immediately.   
  
I had blown it. I just said who I was. Now I had to run away. But Anna, good old Anna, took care of it. She told me the words to speak. And they bought it, lame as it was.   
  
"You become a member of a really high clique. Everyone likes you. And once the new ideal comes in, if you don't like it, say goodbye to all your friends."   
  
"Anna, I'm sure the Sharing isn't like that." Nick, my cousin said.   
  
"Yeah, we're all one big family. I know that sounds really lame, but the Sharing's cool. Ski trips, parties, barbecues-"   
  
"Pool parties?" I asked, just to make the Yeerks restless, nervous.   
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, we get those too. A lot of those." Amy said. My aunt shifted in her seat.   
  
"I still don't like it."   
  
"Nick, Ted, could you get the car ready?" my aunt asked.   
  
"Sure, you going to talk to her?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
My uncle and my cousin left. Leaving me with the two Human-Controllers. That made me a little edgy.   
  
"I'm not leaving," I said.   
  
"Anna, your parents miss you."   
  
"If they miss me so much, why don't they ever call? Why did they send me here in the first place? Tell me that."   
  
"Anna, you will be leaving," my "cousin" said coldly.   
  
"We have to catch up with your uncle and cousin. I'll tell the nurse that you aren't behaving well enough to have visitors."   
  
As they left, I did my second dumb move for the day.   
  
"Yeerk scum," I said.

Actually, "Yeerk scum" wasn't my exact words. Like I said, I knew a few Navarazzi words. My exact words were: "Harashahaki neeros Yeerk." And "Yeerk scum" isn't the literal translation. But I won't say the literal translation. Let's just say, it's not very polite.   
  
"What in the heck did you just say?" Amy asked.   
  
"I sneezed," I said.   
  
My aunt hesitated suspiciously, then walked out with Amy behind her.   
  
_Smooth, real smooth, Stryke. I'm sure they didn't suspect a thing._ Lex said. She's my Navarazzi self. Lex is also the one who Anna argues with constantly.   
  
Amazing. They patched things up when we were dying, but they still argue. Anna always brings up whether we should continue fighting or just hand ourselves to Visser Three. I always have to explain to her how we have to fight in order to save the world. Lex always tells her she's a coward. I always tell them to shut up after five minutes of this. Anna always starts it up all over again ten minutes later.   
  
_Yeah, well, I couldn't help it. Why don't you just walk up to Visser Three and say 'Nira comos allih naza Yeerk rimboho. Il castelle Andalite hamie latrera human.' The same result will happen, only most people won't think you're crazy._   
  
"Nira comos allih naza Yeerk rimboho. Il castelle Andalite hamie latrera human" means something like "I know about the Yeerk invasion. And the Andalite bandits are humans," I think. Either that or it means something like "Can I order a pizza?" But I'm sure it means the first one. But it may mean both. Navarazzis aren't big on speech, mostly we use a type of telepathy, called Tele-speech. And there's the animal noises, too. So, naturally, we don't have a big vocal vocabulary. There's only, like, two hundred words. So mostly vocal speech is ignored. A Navarazzi may even forget they can use it!   
  
_Think I'm crazy?_   
  
_Well, let's see. A girl is walking down the street, talking in gibberish, and has funny looking eyes. Either you think she's nuts, or on drugs. And then you call the police to take her away._   
  
_Oh._   
  
_So, anyway, we're going home!_   
  
_No, we're not. _Lex and I said at the same time. We couldn't go home.  
  
_WHAT?! Why not?!_   
  
_I said it already. I like it here._   
  
_I don't! I want to go home! I want to see mom and dad!_   
  
_Anna, your parents aren't your parents anymore._   
  
_I don't care, Lex! It's better than no one!_   
  
_Anna, didn't you hear what she said? Stryke?_   
  
_No, what?_   
  
_She said we'd be made into a full member of the Sharing once we got back._   
  
_So?_   
  
_Anna,_ I said, panicked, _full members are Controllers! They're gonna infest us!_   
  
_So it's true._   
  
_What's true? _Lex asked.   
  
_The saying: you can never go home again.  
  
_I actually slept that night, which was unusual for me, and a real treat. If you want to have the most realistic dreams, sleep during the night. Vivid dreams, the best. But I won't share mine with you. I'm sure you don't want to hear mine. Especially since most of my dreams were nightmares now.   
  
"Well, the brat slept all night, I see."   
  
The nurse again. Nurse Shelby. Gag!   
  
Thanks, nurse." I flashed another Navarazzi smile. It scared her.   
  
"You kids are all insane. That smile...like a cat's. Your ears...they make you look like an elf. And those eyes...they make you look like, like-"   
  
"Like an alien?" I asked smugly.   
  
"Yes! You kids disgust me. Freaks, all of you."   
  
"I'm so glad you picked a job that corresponds so well with your love of children."   
  
Doc Harmen walked in. Lex thought of a nice trick to play on Nurse Shelby.   
  
"So, nurse, how much do you like kids? And this job?"   
  
The nurse stuck her face close to mine. She narrowed her eyes just as the doctor widened his.   
  
"Let me get this straight. I hate children. I'm only in this job because of the money. Understand?"   
  
"I know I do." Doc Harmen walked up to the nurse.   
  
"D...Doc...Doctor Harmen! I was just-"   
  
"Angela Shelby, I think it's safe to say that once I report you, you will not have a job for the money of it. Now get out and leave this patient alone."   
  
"Yes. Yes, sir."   
  
The woman ran out of the room and the doctor took my hand gently.   
  
"Anna, I'm sorry, I had no idea. And I don't know what else she said to you, but I heard some of your conversation. And I can assure you, you do not look like a freak, nor do you look like an alien. You will never look like an alien, Anna. I'm so sorry. I-what's so funny?"   
  
I had broken up laughing at the 'you will never look like an alien' routine. Obviously, he didn't know what I did in my free time.   
  
"Doc, I do look like an alien," I blurted out.   
  
"Oh no, no, no, Anna. You don't look at all like an alien. Aliens are green and have antennae and-would you please stop laughing? I'm trying to give you a comforting talk!"   
  
At that point, I guess he realized my self-esteem was not injured and laughed along.   
  
"And they have little ray guns that freeze you in place and-why are you laughing?"   
  
"I'm finding this hilarious."   
  
"Ooookay. Um, and the aliens also slither in your head and take over your body-did I say something wrong?"   
  
I was staring very quietly at the doctor. He had-accidentally, of course-put his finger on a real alien race. And he was telling an alien she didn't look like an alien.   
  
"Anna, you do know aliens don't exist, right?"   
  
I looked away. I smirked.   
  
_Aliens don't exist, eh? Tell that to me. To me, you're an alien. To you, I'm an alien. And how about Andalites? Chee? Skrit Na? Yeerks? Shifters? Me? _Lex said in an amused voice.   
  
"Anna, you do know this, right?" Doc Harmen said in a slightly worried voice, "I know you're too smart for that. Right?"   
  
"Yeah, Doc. I'm waaay too smart for that."   
  
"Good. Hey, I forgot! Your friends are here. But I heard you can't have visitors. Why's that?"   
  
"I just got mad at my folks, that's all."   
  
"Really? Well, that young man, Phillip, I think, wants to know when he can see you."   
  
"He did?" I asked, excited.   
  
"Yeah. Say, are you two, you know, dating?"   
  
I laughed.   
  
"No. Not really. Is he still there?" Aximili's cover story was that he was my boyfriend, so I had to say the "not really" part, just to keep his cover of why he's been here ever since I was admitted.   
  
"Yeah. I told him I'd tell him when. Oh, they left your presents, too."   
  
He handed me a few wrapped packages.   
  
"Tell them I said thank you. Could you tell Phillip I said to see me at my window tonight?"   
  
I laughed to make him think I was joking. To make him think I wasn't calling a meeting.   
  
"Romeo and Juliet. Okay, I'll tell him. But," he raised a finger, "it will be after visiting hours."   
  
I felt really weird, having him say 'Romeo and Juliet.' I wasn't interested in him like that. I just kind of, trusted him, you know?   
  
"Thanks, doc. By the way, when can I leave?"   
  
"You'll be happy to know you can leave in two days. We've basically given up on figuring out your eyes. Maybe the cougar mauled them funny. I don't know." He shook his head.   
  
Two days. That meant I had to get away soon.   
  
Too soon.

****

Chapter Three

I was finishing up the thank-you notes when I heard a fluttering at my window. Jake had given me a gift certificate for a bookstore. Tobias had given me another gift certificate for a pizza place. Cassie had given me some turkey sandwiches. (Thank you, Cassie!) I had gotten a voice changer/pocket recorder from Marco. Rachel had given me a black vest and the blouse she described. Aximili wrote a note saying he'd bring his gift later. That was really nice of him to get me a gift, considering he had no money.   
  
I signed my name and walked to the window. Sure enough, a bat was sitting on the sill. I opened the window and it flew in.   
  
"I was afraid you didn't get my message."   
  
No, I got it. Why did you want to see me?   
  
"As I recall, you wanted to see me," I said in a whisper, careful not to wake up anyone.   
  
The bat was demorphing as we spoke. Stalk eyes shot out of its head. The tail elongated as the hooves appeared on the ends of the little creature's feet. Arms appeared out of the sides of the neck. The head got bigger and bigger. The brown fur turned blue and tan. And in the place of the bat stood an Andalite.   
  
I was merely asking a simple question.   
  
I decided to switch to Tele-speech.   
  
_Oh. Well, look. I've got a really big problem. My folks are sending me back to Illinois._   
  
Illinois, yes. Illinois was the twenty-first state to enter the union. It's capital is Springfield, correct?   
  
I sighed. The others had given Aximili a World Almanac to read once. Ever since, he's been an expert on useless Earth knowledge. I'm not kidding. If you ask him, he could tell you how many sheep are born in Germany every month, though why you'd care, I don't know.   
  
_Yes, Aximili, that is correct. But you're missing the point. I'd be going back. Forever. And once I get there, my "parents" plan to make me a Controller. Which would mean you guys will be caught. Witch would also mean I'd be a Controller for good._   
  
That's bad. How will you escape?   
  
_I'm leaving tonight. I need you to help me, though. My wing's not entirely healed yet._   
  
I had broken my wing on my first mission. And for some odd reason, it didn't heal when I Shifted. So flying was out of the question.   
  
_I'll be sneaking out as a human. I need you to create some distraction. I'll meet you outside the main entrance, okay?_   
  
All right. What are you doing?   
  
_I'm packing up_.  
  
I took out a tote bag I had brought with me. In it, I put my new clothes, the gift certificates, some cash, the recorder/voice changer, the sandwiches, a change of clothes, the notebook I use as a scrapbook, and some books.   
  
"Can you make the distraction in about ten minutes? That should give me time to get to the elevator," I said as he morphed a human.   
  
"Yesss. Yes-suh. Oh, and here is your gift. Rachel said you might like it. Liiike. Likeit. It-tuh."   
  
"Thanks."   
  
I opened the tiny white box. In it, was a silver locket. And Rachel was right; I did like it.   
  
"It's beautiful. Thank you so much."   
  
"You'd better go."   
  
"Yeah. See ya at the main entrance!"

I changed into my flightsuit and then sneaked down the hallway. It was almost pitch black, but I was nocturnal, so I could see pretty well. And I was used to having to be very quiet, almost silent. I had to hunt like that. So it wasn't so bad.   
  
I made it to the elevator at the exact moment I heard a crash. It was coming from the rooms for the people with broken legs and stuff. I'm not sure what you call that ward.   
  
"Hey, you! Halt! Backup at blue sector!" some guard screamed into a walkie-talkie as he and a teenager blew past me. I noticed the teenager was having a little trouble staying upright. Aximili.   
  
"Blue sector, there's something I've never heard of," I said as I walked into the elevator. "First floor, lady's shoes, men's ties, children's apparel, easy escapes, everyone out!"   
  
I ran out of the elevator and headed across the lobby.   
  
_Um, Stryke? _Anna said, _Isn't this a little too easy? Like, how about, the doors are locked after hospital hours?_   
  
_Ahhh! Geez, you're right._   
  
The doors were bolted shut. I'd need a key to open them. I had exactly three choices. A: Shift and break the door down. B: find some other way out. C: break the window.   
  
I chose option C.

CRASH!   
  
"Hey! What was that?!"   
  
Some guard had just realized there was a kid running across the lobby, about to crash headfirst through a window.. I was surprised at what he did next. He turned tail and ran in the other direction. The genius thought I had a gun or something. He ran off screaming how an armed teen broke in. What a dunce. An unarmed teen was breaking out. He'd probably lose his job.   
  
_Have you no conscience? You just caused two people to lose their jobs in one day! And you're breaking out? Where will you go? The roost? They'll find us there right away!_   
  
_Thank you, Anna. Now be quiet. I have to concentrate._   
  
I started looking around the bushes. Aximili wasn't here yet. Not good. I ducked in some and waited. And waited. Police came and went. Still no sign of him.   
  
Definitely not good.

It was about noon when I decided to risk getting out of my little sanctuary. I took out the locket Aximili had given me and stood up.   
  
"There it is! Man, I thought I lost my locket for a minute there."   
  
One man looked at me and kept walking. It worked. No one wondered why a kid was hanging around in some bushes. Obviously, she lost her locket in the shrubs. Nothing to worry about.   
  
I put the necklace in my pocket for safe keeping. Then I walked out of the shade and nearly collapsed. I think the planet I come from is colder than Earth. I can't take heat too well. Especially not at noon in California. But hey, give me a Illinois winter and I'm fine. But maybe it's just because I'm used to that climate. I've only been to California twice.   
  
I walked away from the hospital. I kept my head down and made sure not to make eye contact with anyone. The police were already looking for me. And my Controller-relatives would make sure I was found.   
  
I walked by a souvenir stand and was shocked. At the front of the stand, a billboard was nailed down. On the billboard, pictures of kids my age were tacked up. Under the photos, phrases like, 'Runaway' or, 'Have you seen me?' were written. Already, my picture was posted. I knew it was a big risk, but I was curious.   
  
I walked over to the stand.   
  
"Excuse me, ma'am?"   
  
"Yeah," the owner said gruffly, "what do you want?"   
  
I figured a pair of sunglasses would be useful.   
  
"Um, could I have a pair of nice sunglasses?" I pulled out a wad of bills.   
  
The owner looked at me strangely. Like I was familiar.   
  
_She's looking at us like she's seen us before. _Anna said nervously.   
  
_Anna, she has seen us before. The sign, remember?_ Lex said rudely.   
  
While the owner got the pair of glasses, I looked at my sign. It read:   
  
Have you seen me?   
  
Name: Anna-   
  
"How are these?"   
  
I snapped back to reality. "Um, do you have something a little smaller? They look heavy."   
  
"Sure," she said, unsure again.   
  
I started reading again.   
  
Age: 13   
  
DOB: 7/23/84   
  
Distinctive features: eyes deformed, severe scarring on left eye   
  
Hair color: blonde   
  
Eye color: blue, recently turned black   
  
"Hazel," I corrected. No one seems to realize my eyes were hazel.   
  
"Yes, that's my name."   
  
"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, it was nothing."   
  
She looked at me again. Then she pulled out a pair of sunglasses.   
  
"How are these?"   
  
"Fine, thanks." I pulled out a few dollars and handed them to the woman.   
  
"Hey, I'm sorry. But you look very-familiar. Could you wait a second?"   
  
"I'm sorry. I've got to catch a bus."   
  
"Please, it will only take a minute."   
  
"I'm really sorry. But I have to go!" I shouted back as I tried to run.   
  
Unfortunately, I only knocked the stand over. And my photo ripped off the board and landed in the woman's lap. Lucky me.   
  
"Hey! I knew I saw your face! You're that new runaway! Anna! Get back here! Wait! I just want to help you!"   
  
"No, thanks."   
  
I got up and ran at top speed. And I had to struggle to keep my self upright. I hadn't exactly gotten a good running start. I was off-balance for about the first two minutes. I ducked into an alley, figuring it would be better to use the side streets.   
  
Man, was I wrong.

"Hey there."   
  
"What? Who?"   
  
I spun around on an instinct. I'd only been in one real battle, but I had learned a lot on that one battle. I raised my fists. I pricked up my ears. I quieted my breathing. I was ready for an attack.   
  
"Check out those reflexes," a voice said.   
  
"Nice dressing, too."   
  
The voices were that of utter confidence. You know how bullies seem to get this way of talking? How they seem to feel all cool and confident, and right before they beat someone up? That was the way these people were talking.   
  
"Definitely a fighter."   
  
"Let's see."   
  
_Dominance fight! Yes!_   
  
_Priorities, Lex. We need to get to the forest. We need to see why Aximili never came. We need to get that Dracon beam out of my roost before someone searches it._   
  
About seven people stepped out of the shadows. Three had jumped from above me, and four had walked out from behind boxes. Each had a knife of some kind. Unless I Shifted, I'd have no hope of defeating this small army.   
  
I observed them for a moment. Each was dressed entirely in black, with short haircuts and, of course, a knife. Looking closer, one had a small green band on their upper arm, like a bracelet pulled up waaay too high.   
  
"Let's see how well you fight, kid," they said.   
  
"I'm not looking for a fight. I'm not going to fight for no reason," I said.   
  
"Okay. Will, why don't you give her a reason to fight?"   
  
One of the three boys shot out at me, knife glittering. And he used it to slash my arm.   
  
WHIIINE   
  
"Now do you have a reason to fight?"

I was desperately trying not to let my eyes glow. That was the last thing I needed. Then 'Will' came at me again, this time, he was running with the knife aimed at my stomach.   
  
"What a week I'm having," I complained as I side-stepped.   
  
Another guy came at me, slashing the air as he went. I spun around at kicked him in the face. I was surprised. I hadn't trained much. Of course, I had dealt with Hork-Bajir before, so compared to them, plain old humans seemed easy.   
  
Anyway, he fell back into his buddy, knocking both of their knifes into a nearby sewer. Another girl took me by surprise and knocked me down. I grabbed her ankle and flipped her down. The other three girls came at me in a line. I grabbed the girl whom I just knocked down and threw her at them. It only took care of two. The one with the green strap whipped her knife at me. I ducked just in time to avoid being shish kabab.   
  
The guy Green Band called Will punched me down. Another girl kicked me in the face. I felt my nose. Bloody. So was my lip.   
  
The other boy pulled me up and threw me against a wall. I grabbed a pipe. Green Band came at me and I struck her in the back of her knee. She went down hard. Will attacked me again, this time, he had someone else's knife. He slashed my arm again. I grabbed him and threw him into another guy's path.   
  
"Enough!" Green Band called out, raising her hand.   
  
Everyone stopped attacking me. I stood up, muscles tensed. I was ready for anything, except maybe what happened next.

TSEEEEEER   
  
"What the..."   
  
"Look out!"   
  
A harrier swooped out of the sky. It narrowly missed giving Green Band a talon haircut. But for some odd reason, she didn't dodge. She didn't even flinch. I mean, she noticed it, but, somehow, she didn't really take it as a threat.   
  
Anna! Where were you?! We've been looking all over for you!   
  
_Sorry, Aximili. I guess we didn't see each other. Did you go to the main entrance?_   
  
Yes, but no one was there.   
  
_Sorry. I was in the bushes. Were are the others?_   
  
Follow me.   
  
I started running after the incredibly fast harrier. Unfortunately, the gang decided they weren't done with me yet. They started running after me. And they knew the territory better than I did. And better than Aximili did.   
  
I ran over boxes, sewers, and various other alley objects. Finally I saw an end to the alley. I ran even faster. But like I said, the gang wasn't done with me yet. Green Band stepped out of the shadows. I could see a small ladder behind her. The ladder led up to a small balcony. I could see the path they took to reach me.   
  
"Hold it, kid. I'm not done with you yet." the other members followed Green Band.   
  
Anna, who are these people? Marco's thought-speak voice was in my head.   
  
_Gang members. I don't know much else about them._   
  
The one with the green strap looks like their leader, sort of, Cassie said.   
  
"My name is Kerry. This is Will," she pointed to the other male, "this is Josh."   
  
Why is she giving you their names? Rachel asked. I shrugged slightly.   
  
Kerry continued, "This is Allie, Natalie, Toni, and this is Alexis."   
  
What kind of name is 'Alexis'? Marco asked to no one.   
  
_My Navarazzi name is Lex. Is that unusual?_   
  
Lex? Lex is your name? Man, that's like some sort of weird human name. It's like if you named your kid after a number.   
  
"Who are you?"   
  
There was no way I was going to give them my real name. For the same reasons I won't give you my full name. Plus, they might turn me in. So I made up a name my human father used to call me.   
  
"I'm Aye."   
  
Or a letter. Marco continued.

"Aye?" Josh said skeptically, "Like the letter? Do you have a brother named 'Bee'? What kind of name is 'Aye'?"   
  
Anna, what kind of name is Aye? What parent names their kid 'Aye'? Jake asked.   
  
_My parents. It's my nickname, okay? Or would you rather I tell them my real name?_   
  
Aye is fine. Never mind.   
  
"Shut up, Josh. Aye is a cool name. So," Kerry said, "where are you running from?"   
  
"What makes you think I'm running away?" I said.   
  
"Tote bag, glasses, a certain fear, we've seen it before," Kerry said very gently, considering she tried to beat the heck out me a few minutes ago.   
  
Anna, find an excuse to get out of here! Jake said urgently.   
  
"So, why are you running away, Aye?"   
  
It was weird, having people call me 'Aye' again. No one had called me that for about a year, since my parents were infested. And I desperately wanted to leave.   
  
"I can't tell you. I don't want to talk about it, okay?" I started walking again. Kerry grabbed my arm.   
  
"Aye, you can trust me, okay?"   
  
I knew she was trying to be nice and all, and that I probably could trust her, but I wasn't taking the risk. Kerry pulled out a small note pad. She scribbled some words on it and handed it to me.   
  
"If you need a place to crash, come here."   
  
"Thanks."   
  
"Hey, nice fighting. Where'd you learn?" Alexis asked me.   
  
I shook my head, "I can't tell you that." Kerry smiled a mysterious smile. Then she said something that surprised me:   
  
"I'm sure you can't. But I think you will be joining us tonight."

****

Chapter Four

"Anna, what were you thinking?!" Jake demanded.   
  
We were all at my roost. I was packing up a few more things. Journal, boots, Dracon beam, radio, more money, books, First Aid, thermos, potato chips, toothbrush, your basic runaway package. Except maybe the Dracon beam.   
  
And the whole time, Jake was reprimanding me for getting in that stupid fight. Like I started it. Not to mention running away in the first place. And not hooking up with Aximili at our rendezvous point. And for knocking over the stand. And for even going to the stand in the first place. And for going down the back alley. And for making up the most unrealistic name in history.   
  
All I did was hang my head and nod. And pack.   
  
"I don't know! Look, if I don't book it, I'll be made into a Controller. And I don't know about you, Jake, but I won't be able to handle that again. And if I'm made into a Controller in Illinois, no one's there to lock me up for three days. Let alone morph me. So if I go back, we are all dead."   
  
"Anna's right," Cassie said, "We have to find some way to keep her from moving again."   
  
"Well, we know we can't trust those gang members to find some place for her," Marco said.   
  
"Duh, Marco," Rachel said simply.   
  
"I think we can," I said.   
  
"Huh? Why? As I recall, you were fighting last time."   
  
Why did I say that? I had no clue. The words just popped into my mouth, and I said them. Anna and Lex were both confused, too. I shrugged it off. Probably nothing.   
  
"Well, they did give her that location," Jake offered.   
  
Jake, I don't think it's such a good idea.   
  
"What I'd like to know is this. Why didn't Kerry dodge?"   
  
"Huh?"   
  
"When Aximili almost gave her a haircut, she didn't even flinch. I mean, did she not process a hawk was about to slash her? Could she not make that subtle mental connection between the talons and the fact they were going to her head?"   
  
Prince Jake, I, too have a question.   
  
"Don't call me Prince," Jake said for the thousandth time, "What?"   
  
I was aiming for her head. But at the last second, I swerved.   
  
"So?" Cassie asked.   
  
Cassie, I did not intend to swerve.

"So now Ax is moving without meaning to, Gabrielle is running away, and we have gang members after some kid named after the first letter of the alphabet. Wake me when we get back to reality."   
  
"Marco," I said, "this is reality. It's not some book or something. It's real."   
  
Ax, it was probably nothing. Probably some last-minute, subconscious move. Tobias said.   
  
"Yeah, probably," I said.   
  
"Look, the point of this is to find out where Anna can stay, or how we make sure she doesn't have to leave," Rachel said, "So let's get some ideas."   
  
"My uncle said that my parent's work was done. So sabotage their job and boom. They can't let the teenager back until they finish it."   
  
"But how do we find out about this job?"   
  
"I can hack the Sharing's files again, Ax? Could you help?" Marco said   
  
Yes.   
  
"And," Cassie said, "how do we sabotage it if it's out in Illinois? We can't exactly fly."   
  
"The gang members," I blurted out.   
  
"What? We've gotten in enough trouble with them already. We can't exactly ask them to hop on a plane and do it for us. No. Won't work," Jake said.   
  
The others debated and talked about their ideas. But somehow, I knew I'd wind up asking Kerry for help.

It was about ten-o-clock when I walked out to where Kerry said to meet them. It was stupid, I know, but I was going to ask for help. Besides, I had no where else to sleep. The police were heading for my roost to look for me when I left.   
  
I really don't take my job seriously enough.   
  
I was about there when I heard Kerry's voice.   
  
"Hey, Aye."   
  
I spun around and raised my fists again. I've really got to stop doing that.   
  
"Hey, hey, hey. No threat here. I see you've come to hang with us."   
  
"I just need somewhere to sleep for the night. I'm catching the next bus outta here in the morning," I lied.   
  
Kerry smiled that mysterious, all-knowing smile.   
  
"Follow me." 

****

Chapter Five

We walked down a flight of stairs. I was beginning to worry.   
  
At the bottom of the stairs, there was an old, rusty door. Kerry opened it with a loud squeak. Inside, there were eight beds, all in a circle. Inside that circle, Alexis, Josh, Will, Natalie, and Allie were sitting. Will and Allie were talking, Josh was sleeping, Alexis was reading and Natalie was using her knife to carve out something in wood. Toni wasn't there for some reason. They all stood up and walked toward us. Everyone, that is, except Josh.   
  
"Hey," Natalie said.   
  
"Um, hi," I said. I could tell at this point this was a big mistake.   
  
"Aye?!" Alexis said, alarmed.   
  
"It's cool. She's going to help us," Kerry said.   
  
"Huh? I only came here because you offered to let me sleep here for the night!" I was getting scared.   
  
"Relax. We've got a simple request."   
  
"What?" I said suspiciously. Lex and Anna were in my head, making a plan of escape. Although Lex would rather fight than run any day.   
  
"Toni was grabbed today," Alexis said in that bully, I'm-so-confident, voice, "Another group. We need your help with this."   
  
"Why do you need my help?" I said, trying to back away.   
  
"We've got a fight tonight. The other group is going to kill Toni is we don't show up with seven people," Will said.   
  
"Gang war," I said in a mixture of awe and fear.   
  
I had heard of gang wars in a program at school. Members of gangs had to sleep on the floor from fear of getting shot in bed. That's why they were underground, and why the door squealed whenever someone opened it. What had I gotten myself into?

"We won't interfere or force you into this," Kerry said, "but Toni is a good friend of mine. And it's my fault she's in all this trouble. If she dies, I will be in so much trouble you can't comprehend. But as I said, I won't interfere. I can't even guarantee you'll survive."   
  
I should really have thought about this. 'I won't interfere...we won't interfere,' it sounded familiar, sort of. When I think back to that moment, if I had known who Kerry really was, why she was there, I would have been more cautious. More aware of the true purpose of this rescue. I wasn't helping save a life, I was helping to save many, including mine. But that's another story entirely.   
  
"I'll do it," I said quietly. I knew I was probably sealing my doom, but I just felt badly for Toni and the others.   
  
"Great," Allie said excitedly, "I'll get you a knife and your gun-"   
  
"No guns," I said simply and forcefully, "I'm not taking a life. I'm just going in there, saving your friend, and getting out. There is no way I'm going to take a gun. Since the last time I used a gun, I have had nightmares. I'm not taking a life unless it's to save my own. And even then, it's not right. End of story."   
  
The gun I had used was the Dracon gun, of course. But I've had nightmares about all the lives I ended in using it. I know it was to save my life, but still. It wasn't right. I used to have a motto: my life, my rules. But it had changed. Now my motto was designed to help me cope with what I had become. It was long, it was lame, it needed work, but it made me feel better:   
  
If, by ending a life, you save or prolong your own, it is justified. But, by ending a life, you accept the guilt, shame and horror. Only you have the power to chose witch is better.   
  
I know that motto was really bad, but it was true. I had to stay alive. But I also had to have a soul. A soul that wasn't torn to shreds by my own murdering. The only question was: which did I value more?

Kerry and I were outside. Kerry was obviously worried about Toni. And for the others. And for herself. And for me. We were both leaning back against a dumpster, Kerry was staring into space. The fight wasn't for another hour.   
  
"Hey, Stryke, I have a question," Kerry said. Surprisingly, I didn't notice she called me 'Stryke'.   
  
"What?" I said. Anna was terrified, and I was terrified. Lex was just nervous.   
  
That's Navarazzis for you.   
  
"Would you be willing to kill?"   
  
I shook my head. I really didn't know.   
  
"It depends on the situation. If it's to save my, or my friend's, life, I would, probably. But just for power, heck no."   
  
Kerry nodded.   
  
"Would you?"   
  
Kerry was silent. Finally, she spoke in a very quiet voice. If I didn't have the hearing I did, I would never have heard her.   
  
"I wouldn't kill for any reason. I...I don't like to, you know, break rules. I'm not allowed to kill anything, even for the biggest reason."   
  
I wondered what she was talking about. Rules not to kill? I had never heard of anything like that. Unless... I knew only a few things about Chee. Androids, live as humans, have holograms, and can not be violent. That included killing.   
  
"Chee?" I said.   
  
Kerry gave this lopsided smile that reminded me of me a year ago. Before I became a warrior.   
  
"Nope. What's a Chee?" she said.   
  
"Oh, duh. The fight," I said to myself. Kerry and I had gotten into that stupid fight. That was violence. She was not a Chee.   
  
But the way she answered 'no', then, 'what's a Chee?' worried me. Wouldn't she ask what a Chee was first? Come to think, why even say no? Once again, a moment I should have put the pieces together.   
  
"Never mind," I said louder. "Kerry, why are you in this gang?"   
  
She just shook her head.   
  
"Kerry, you can trust me, okay? You can tell me your secrets," I said.   
  
Kerry turned and faced me for the first time in the whole conversation. A weird mixture of emotions were broadcast in her eyes. Worry, amusement, sadness, trust, honesty, deception, and despair, all rolled into one. It was like I saw some weird announcement of how she was feeling.   
  
"Anna, I know I can trust you. But the question is, can you trust me? Can you tell me all your secrets? Or would you lie to me?"   
  
I was shocked. And I knew the answer, too. But I didn't want to admit it.   
  
"Kerry, you said yourself that I can trust you-"   
  
"I know, but the question is, will you trust me?"   
  
I really didn't want to say it, but I did.   
  
"Kerry, I have secrets I just can't tell you. I have...a job...a duty. And already I don't take it seriously enough. I've done some really stupid things the last few days. And if I screw up, my friends and I will die. So no, I won't trust you. Not completely, that is. And if I can't trust you-"   
  
"Should I trust you?" Kerry asked in a voice that wasn't at all like her gang/bully voice.   
  
It was more like a brilliant philosopher, trying to explain something to a child. Not a bad analogy, really. Kerry was about a year older than me, it looked. And compared to what she was, I was a child. No, less than a child. Compared to her, I'm a cow. I was really sad to say it, to admit it. But I could understand what she was trying to say to me.   
  
"No, Kerry. You can't trust me. No one can."

"Come on, Stryke, let's go in." Kerry said, surprisingly cheerful. Or at least as cheerful as someone can be when they were depressed.   
  
Once again, I didn't notice she called me by my name, or at least the name I called myself.   
  
When we walked in, after the door creaked, I saw a tear stream down Kerry's cheek.   
  
_Why would a gang member cry?_ Anna asked.   
  
_I don't know_, I said, _She's really complicated, isn't she? First, she wants to beat us to a pulp, then she wants to invite us to her home, then she wants us to get involved in a gang war, then we find out she doesn't like violence, and now we see she's crying. What is going on here?_   
  
_You got me. _Lex said.   
  
"Great. Just in time," Josh, who had woken up, said, "We're about ready to go."   
  
"Good. Aye, Alexis, and Allie will go with me. Will, Josh and Natalie will go together," Kerry said in her gang voice again, "Now listen. Will, you have a plan?"   
  
"Yeah. Everyone come here. Here's my plan."   
  
We all listened. After one minute I was about ready to book it.

"Man, this really makes me think of where my loyalties are," I said to no one.   
  
I wasn't enjoying this one bit. I had to act like I was looking for the others. I was a distraction. The rival gang would chase me, then, if I was fast enough, the others would jump them before I was shot.   
  
Lucky me.   
  
I was dressed in my flightsuit, plus my new black vest, which looked really good on me. If I lived long enough, I'd have to express a special thank-you for Rachel. I was armed only with my knife. At least that's all the others knew I had.   
  
In my belt, I had my Dracon beam tucked away. I had it on the lowest setting, just in case I had to use it. Aximili had showed me how to adjust the settings once. He had also explained a few things about alien species the others didn't know. Skrit Na, for instance. The others didn't know about them.   
  
And the two minds were arguing, as usual.   
  
_Why do we have to bring this gun? Stryke, you said no guns, What's the difference between death by a Dracon beam or a pistol?_   
  
_About two days in the hospital._ I said, making a grim joke.   
  
_Anna, we're not using the Dracon beam unless worse turns to worse. If a gang member is gonna shoot us, we will stun him. No one gets killed, and hopefully Toni gets out alive. _Lex said for the fifth time.   
  
_Speaking about getting out alive, how about we blow this off? I mean, I hate Yeerks and all, but this has absolutely nothing to do with Yeerks, Andalites, or the Ellimist-_   
  
Kerry laughed. I wondered why she did that.   
  
_-so why don't we blow it off? I mean, do you realize that even if we get out of this gang war, they'll remember our face? They'll send an assassin or something!_   
  
"Hey, Aye, come here," Allie said.   
  
"What?"   
  
After the fight, if you...you know, I'll cut your hair."   
  
"Why?" I clutched my braid. I liked this hairstyle a lot. No way was I getting a 'gang' haircut!   
  
"Relax. It won't be anything from our group. Though it would be cool if you joined. You have got some excellent fighter moves. It's like you're almost used to fights."   
  
"I've been in a few."   
  
"Cool. But look, if those guys see your face, you're as good as dead. So we're going to change your hairstyle dramatically. That way, it'll be harder to recognize you. But put on your shades, okay?"   
  
"Why?"   
  
"Your eyes. No one can forget those things."   
  
"Okay." I started to walk away, but Alexis grabbed my arm.   
  
"Hey, how did you get those eyes?"   
  
I gave them the same story I had given everyone else, "A cougar mauled me."   
  
Kerry gave her lopsided smile again. Like she knew I was lying. But that was impossible. Yeah, right.   
  
"Weird. But cool scar," Allie said.   
  
I nodded. I actually liked my scar. Andalite tail blades left cool scars. This is what my life has come to. Judging what leaves the coolest scar. I need help so badly. 

****

Chapter Six

"Okay. We're almost there," I said shakily.   
  
"Cool. Let's go!"  
  
I was shaking as I stepped into the vacant lot that was to be the battleground. At that moment, I stuck my hands into my pockets. I felt something cool and smooth. I dug it out of my pocket. A silver locket, not very big or shiny, but beautifully engraved. Aximili's present. I put it on. I clutched it as I walked out of the shadows.   
  
Almost immediately, five teenagers that were about a head taller than me jumped me. I ran. One boy with green hair pulled out a gun and shot at me. I ran erratically after that. After all, a moving target is harder to hit.   
  
I ran as fast as I could on two legs. If could reverse my knees, I could go a lot faster, using my hands as feet. But if I did that, I'd blow my cover. Three others jumped in front of me. I saw Toni was tied up behind them. A girl had a knife to her throat. That's it. I will never join a gang in my life.   
  
Screams! Gunshots! Cries for help! Moans! All of it, one big howl. I was running as fast as I could, not really seeing anything. I was on automatic. I saw glimpses of my fists, punching another teenager. I saw myself do a flip kick and knock out a punk in a leather jacket. And I saw myself punch out the girl who had their knife at Toni's throat. After that, I sort of woke up.   
  
I used my knife to cut the ropes that held Toni. I screamed she was out and ran as fast as I could. I saw Will, Alexis, and Josh climb a fence and get away. I saw Natalie and Allie get to safety. Toni ducked into a back alley and escaped. I was running at top speed when I saw Kerry fall.  
  
"Ahhhhh!"   
  
Kerry clutched her side. I saw the red human blood pour out of her side. I swallowed my instinctive wave of hunger. She was shot. I turned and ran back to her.   
  
"Aye! Get out of here!"   
  
"No way. You'll be killed."   
  
"I'll be fine! Go!"   
  
I heard the sounds of sirens. I saw red and blue flashing lights. The other gang ran in the opposite direction. Kerry had exactly one hope: me.   
  
"Kerry, I need you to do something for me. Close your eyes and don't open them until I say so. Got it?"   
  
Kerry closed her eyes, either from loss of blood or because I told her to. I Shifted as fast as I was capable of doing so. After I was fully Navarazzi, I tested my wings. My broken wing wasn't strong, but it would get us far enough away.   
  
I grabbed an unconscious Kerry and ran over to an old building. I sank my claws into the bricks and climbed as fast as I could with Kerry slumped over my shoulder. And then I saw shadows underneath us. Shadows getting smaller. Shadows of people running towards us. Shadows of policemen.   
  
I made it to the roof and grabbed Kerry as tightly as I dared. I was taking another idiotic move. I was really being stupid. Infinitely stupid. Idiotic. So dumb it's impossible to comprehend. Jake would probably eat my throat out for all this. I mean, I am talking so stupidly brave stuff even Rachel would have the common sense not to even think about doing. But I guess I'm not Rachel.   
  
I spread my wings and jumped off the roof. Off the roof of a five story building. Another moment when I'm glad to have wings.   
  
I just fell for the first two stories. Finally, the wind built up underneath my wings and I was flying. I soared away just as the policemen and women arrived.   
  
I glided for a while until I was reasonably close to the hideout. I landed and Shifted back to human form. I had to half-drag, half-carry Kerry back to where she lived. When I finally got there, the sun was rising. And I was hungry and exhausted. I fell asleep after carrying her right to the door. All I saw was Will's astonished and horrified look as I collapsed to the floor.

When I woke up, Josh was standing over me with this sad look on his face. The sun was just beginning to set.   
  
"What's wrong?" I asked.   
  
"Kerry's been just clinging to life for the last day. Allie and Will tried to go to the hospital, but they were arrested. The police recognized their faces. Kerry wants to talk to you."   
  
I walked over to Kerry's bed. She was there, looking very weak. red blood was on a makeshift bandage for her wound. I felt a wave of nausea. She was dying.   
  
"Kerry..."   
  
"Hi, Aye. How's life?"   
  
"Kerry, how can you say that? You're dying!" Will screamed.   
  
"I'll be fine. Will, could you leave us alone for a while?"   
  
"Sure, Kerry."   
  
Will left, leaving me with the dying Kerry.   
  
"I'm so sorry."   
  
"I know, Stryke-"   
  
Finally, I caught it.   
  
"Stryke? That's the second time, isn't it? I never told you my name! How did you know?"   
  
"You'll see."   
  
"Kerry, Will's right. You are dying. I'll never know how you knew! Kerry-"   
  
"Anna, Lex, Stryke. Calm down. You will find out how I knew. Later. Not now."   
  
"You know I'm-"   
  
"A Shifter? Yes, I know. I also know all your secrets, Stryke. I know all about the Animorphs."   
  
"How?! You can't know that! Unless..."   
  
Was it possible? Was she an-   
  
"Ellimist?"   
  
Kerry smiled that lopsided smile. She used her gang voice to talk to me after that.   
  
"I used you and your friends a few times," she said, ignoring my question.   
  
"Kerry, are you an-"   
  
"I know you don't like being used, so I'll do you one favor. For being used. For helping save Toni. For helping save me."   
  
"Kerry, listen to me. Are you an Ellimist? If so, how are you dying? Can't you just, you know, zap yourself? Heal yourself?" I asked, growing anxious.   
  
"Stryke. I said I'll give you one favor. One. And nothing big. One small favor. One last task you don't have to run. One last move you won't have to make. And there is only one."   
  
I realized what she was saying. I smiled. She was trying to give me the hint without interfering directly.   
  
"How can there be just one Ellimist?"

"It's a long story that I don't have enough time to tell."  
  
"Oh. Just one small favor?" I asked, "Regardless of how large the outcome is?"   
  
"Nothing big. Just a tiny move in the course of time."   
  
There it was. The word 'move' again. I suddenly saw a solution to a very hard problem.   
  
"Kerry?" I said with a Navarazzi smile, "my uncle mentioned a job my parents were done on? A job I was required to leave until they were done on it? What was that job?"   
  
"The Yeerks that control your parents are making the Sharing active in your hometown."   
  
"Kerry, if that job was sabotaged, would I still need to return?"   
  
"No."   
  
"That's what I want. I want that job sabotaged."   
  
"No morphing powers? You don't want to defeat Visser Three? You don't want your Andalite friend to enjoy your company a little more?"   
  
Those options sounded good. But I knew they would mean nothing without my being here.   
  
"No, Kerry. I don't. I want them, but I need that job sabotaged. I need to stay, to fight."   
  
"Done."   
  
"Thank you. I know you'll be in a whole lot of trouble for that."   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Kerry?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"I have two questions. One: are you the Ellimist?"   
  
"I never said that."   
  
"You are, aren't you?"   
  
Kerry turned her head away. I could see she was running out of time.   
  
"Kerry, will I ever see you again?"   
  
"If things stay the way the are, yes. If not, I have no way of knowing."   
  
"You do have that limitation, don't you? Not to be absolutely sure, because something might always change."   
  
Kerry was silent. Her breathing had stopped. Her body relaxed. My Ellimist friend was dead.

****

Chapter Seven

"Just what on Earth did you think you were doing? You could have gotten killed! Joining a gang? Getting in the middle of a gang war? Not listening to the rest of us?" Jake said in that reprimanding-not-quite-yelling tone of voice he has.   
  
"Helping the Ellimist, helping to save a very important group of people, ensuring I stay here in *_______*, I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I've gone insane from the pressure this job has. I'm alive, okay? We are all alive. No one was hurt. I have another newspaper article to put in my scrapbook, and everything turned out okay." I said.   
  
We were all at Cassie's barn. I had made the mistake of telling everyone the whole story. They were all taking turns yelling at me. Rachel yelled, Tobias and Cassie told me how dumb a move I made, Marco told me how stupid I had been, Aximili told me I had made some very risky, reckless, and foolish choices, and Jake was giving me the 'shame' treatment. You know, the treatment were they don't yell or anything, but you feel like the crud that sticks to the heel of your shoe?

"Anna, if you, or anyone, messes up, we are all dead. You Shifted in public, you joined a gang, you ran away, you risked your life for someone who would beat you against a wall if they had a chance, you walked right up to someone who knew you were a runaway, you made a security guard get fired, you tried to fly with a broken wing, you got in a fight with two gangs, and you risked your life to help some gang leader."   
  
"She was the Ellimist!" I protested.   
  
"Yeah, but you didn't know that at the time. We still don't know for sure."   
  
"What else could she have been?! A psychic friend?"   
  
"The point is, you risked your life for someone who was trying to kill you earlier," Jake said slowly and clearly.   
  
"Plus," Marco interrupted, "You cut your hair and glued gravel to your head!"   
  
I sighed. I had taken up Allie's offer to cut my hair. I had gotten a hairstyle I had seen on female Navarazzis aboard the Tracer ship. It was shaggy and very, very short. And light, too. I was used to having about two pounds on the back of my head. This hair weighed about two ounces.   
  
And I had gotten a Bindi. A body jewel. I now had a red crystal stuck to my forehead, just at the base of where my blade would be. Will had been keeping them for a while, and he asked me if I wanted one. I thought they looked cool. Marco disagreed.   
  
"Marco, it's not gravel, it's a body jewel. And I had to cut my hair so that other gang wouldn't come after me. I case you didn't notice, I used to have a very distinctive hairstyle."   
  
"I noticed, Rapunzel."   
  
Rapunzel? Aximili asked.   
  
"A fairy tale, Ax. Rapunzel was a character in a fairy tale. She had very long hair," Cassie explained.   
  
Oh.   
  
"Look, guys, I know I don't take this whole thing seriously enough, and I know I'm way too cocky, and I know that I made the most utterly stupid choices of my life in the past few days, and I know I really should apologize, so I admit my mistakes and I'm sorry. Now is everyone done yelling at me?!"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Yes."   
  
Yes.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"I don't yell, and yes."   
  
Yeah.   
  
"I still think you need a new haircut," Rachel said.   
  
Are you absolutely sure that's not a gang haircut? Tobias asked.   
  
"Unless some gang is basing their do's on alien haircuts, I'm pretty sure."   
  
"Alien haircuts?" Cassie said skeptically.   
  
Yes, I saw Navarazzi females with hair like that. Aximili said.   
  
"But enough about my hair. How do I go home? Home, as in my uncle's house. I can't exactly show up at the door."   
  
"Maybe you can turn yourself in," Rachel suggested.   
  
"Yeah, then I'll be in jail, which would destroy all point to me running away in the first place."   
  
"I don't think you'll be in jail, Anna."   
  
"Maybe, but I'll be in some counseling somewhere for at least a year. 'Now, Anna, tell me about your relationship with your parents'."   
  
Cassie changed the subject, "What if Anna just showed up at her uncle's house? It's not like the police will arrest her."   
  
"Cassie, if I just happen to show, my aunt and my cousin and my parents will wonder about it. Think about it, your big-time job is wrecked, and right afterwards, the kid comes back."   
  
"I like Cassie's idea. If Anna just shows up, I doubt the Yeerks will make the connection. After all, there's no way she could have gotten to Illinois and back so fast. Anna, it's the only idea that will work," Jake said.   
  
"Okay, fine. I'll do it. But I still think there is a much better way of doing this," I said.   
  
So it was settled. I would be going back to my uncle's house, hopefully I wouldn't be caught, and I'd have to hope the Yeerks wouldn't still send me back.

****

Chapter Eight

"It's amazing how weird a week I've had. I mean, the only way my life could get any weirder is if I traveled in time!" I said to my dog, Tippy.   
  
It worked. I had shown up at the door, and my family, or what was left of it, accepted me back in. And my 'parents' had told my uncle that I was welcome to stay, if they wanted me to. My uncle had said I was welcome to stay at their house as long as they wanted. And my aunt's big job turned out to be some stupid, stay-at-home project she had to work on. She didn't want me to get in the way. I had gotten my own room. Plus, my dog had moved in with us. That's why I was out exercising her in the woods.   
  
"Fetch, girl!"   
  
Tippy ran after the stick I had thrown into some bushes. I watched her chase a squirrel that had been hiding there. Tippy finally brought back the stick and laid it at my feet.   
  
"I mean, seriously, my week has been the ultimate weird one. I'm lucky to be alive, too."   
  
Tippy didn't seem to care. She just barked at me to make me throw the stick.   
  
"Okay, girl. Fetch!"   
  
The black dog ran out after it. I laughed.   
  
What are you doing?   
  
"Huh? Wha? Who?"   
  
As usual, I spun around and quieted my breathing. At least I didn't raise my fists.   
  
It's me, Aximili.   
  
"Oh, geez, Aximili. You scared me," I said as an Andalite trotted up.   
  
Sorry. What are you doing?   
  
"Playing with my dog. You eating?"   
  
Yes, but I didn't know you'd be out here.   
  
Tippy brought back the stick, dropped it at my feet, and jumped up on Aximili. He twitched his tail a little.   
  
"Relax, Aximili. Tippy, get down. Sorry, she's usually like this around people she hasn't met before."   
  
Tippy ran off after some rabbit and left us alone for a few minutes.   
  
How are you?   
  
"A little weirder out from the last week, but I'm okay."   
  
Yes, the week has been a little unusual for you.   
  
"Yup. The only thing that could make it any weirder is if I went back in time. And I doubt that would happen. At least I hope my life hasn't gotten that weird. But, hey, it's only Thursday. The week's not over yet."   
  
That would be strange, I'll give you that.   
  
"Ever notice that since when I joined you guys, my life has become this long, unbelievable, story from a psycho's dream?"   
  
Excuse me?   
  
"Never mind."   
  
Anything you want to talk about?   
  
"No, not much."   
  
Aximili looked hesitant. I could pretty well guess what he was thinking.   
  
_Honestly, I'm fine._ I said, reverting to Tele-speech, _I'm just a little, you know, confused. I mean, why couldn't she save herself? Why didn't she?_   
  
Aximili made a slight shrug. He shook his head a little.   
  
She was an Ellimist. The Ellimist plays games.   
  
_I don't think so. I mean, really, if an Ellimist told you how to defeat the Yeerks, you'd go right after the opportunity, right?_   
  
Of course.   
  
_Well, what if, while doing that, you were killed. But, if you had waited, you would have defeated them, and survived. Now, if the Ellimist hadn't told you, you'd still be alive._   
  
I don't think he got it. He just moved his stalk eyes back and forth. But he didn't ask me to stop, so I continued.   
  
_All I'm saying is, if the Ellimist changes the course of time, things may be messed up. If Elfangor, your brother, never became the prince he did, everything would be altered. The Animorphs would never been created, and if the Animorphs were never created, then Earth might be taken over by the Yeerks. And if the Yeerks might get Earth, they might go for Navarazzis, since if Earth is taken over, they'd get me, and I'm a Navarazzi. And if the Yeerks get Navarazzis, they might go for you Andalites. And if you guys are all infested, the Yeerks will win. They'd have it all._   
  
Aximili seemed to frown. Of course, since he had no mouth, maybe 'frown' isn't the word. 'His facial expression hardened' would be a better description.   
  
_See, Aximili? Time is like a big spider web. If you break one strand, the rest get twisted and tangled and broken. So if the Ellimist interferes, even a little, the whole time web gets altered._   
  
Yes, I think I see.   
  
Tippy came back with this big playful look on her face. I decided to change the subject.   
  
"So you say dogs are the descendants of aliens," I said.   
  
That is what the Chee's story is. I doubt they would lie.   
  
"Cool."   
  
Do you want to continue the lessons in a day or two?   
  
Aximili had been teaching me about aliens and outer space and that kind of stuff for a few months. I repaid him by doing favors and teaching him all I knew about Navarazzis. Plus, I brought food once in a wile. Oh, yeah, I also brought him books, he seemed to like books. That's how I knew how to set a Dracon gun or how I knew about the Skrit Na. Although I still didn't understand Zero Space.   
  
"Sure. Hey, what time?"   
  
Is dawn a good time? I'm usually up by then.   
  
_Dawn? _Lex groaned, _Stryyyke...dawn? Daytime? Early? Noooo..._   
  
"Dawn's fine," I said.   
  
_Nooo..._   
  
_Forget it, Lex. We're waking up at dawn, and that's final._   
  
_Looks like she's back to normal. Bossy bossy, bossy. _Anna commented   
  
_I am not bossy._   
  
_Hey, Anna, Lex? Weren't we supposed to have Tippy back in two minutes?_   
  
_Oh SHOOT!_   
  
"Sorry, Aximili. I gotta go. I have to have Tippy back in about two minutes or I'm grounded!"

I snapped on Tippy's leash and started running as fast as I could on two legs. Aximili followed. And then Tippy decided she wasn't done chasing things. Namely, some stupid rabbit that decided to run in the direction of a bunch of rocks. Naturally, Tippy followed. Naturally, the leash followed her. Naturally, the person holding the leash followed it, being dragged across the ground. Naturally, the Andalite following the person holding the leash ran after her.   
  
Anna! What's happening?   
  
"TIIIIIPY! STOP! OW!"   
  
Anna!   
  
"Ow! Ow! Owowowowowow!"   
  
Tippy ran after that dumb bunny no matter where they went. Over the rocks, through the brambles, over a log, jumping over a small ditch, which, incidentally, was filled with water. And, incidentally, I didn't make it the whole way across.   
  
SPLASH   
  
"Stupid dog! SIT DOWN!"   
  
It worked. She stopped. But not after dragging me over a thorn bush.   
  
Are you all right?   
  
I checked. My face was bruised, my arms were torn, I was scratched, muddy, and beat up. And the back of my hand was missing a considerably large amount of skin.   
  
"Um...no, not really."   
  
I tied Tippy to a tree, sat down, and started cleaning off. Aximili didn't say anything until he started pulling thorns out of my face.   
  
Are you sure you're all right?   
  
"OW! I said I wasn't, didn't I?"   
  
Well, yes, but that's not really what I meant.   
  
"Look, really. I'm fine. It's just, well, you know, she was my friend."   
  
Yes, I understand.   
  
I sighed. Everyone had been asking me about Kerry. Who was she? Are you okay? Did she know ou? How about her family? Was she your friend? How did it happen? It was getting to be annoying. The less I thought about it, the less it hurt.   
  
"How'd you deal?"   
  
When?   
  
"With Elfangor. I mean, you know, when you found out. Man, I'm sounding really inconsiderate." I said as I pulled a burr out of my shaggy hair.   
  
No, it's okay. I don't really know. I... he let the sentence hang.   
  
I pulled another burr out of my hair and brushed off my clothes. Aximili finally came up with something to say.   
  
We have a saying: grace is the acceptance of the inevitable. Everyone dies at some point, I guess that goes for the Ellimist, too. It's just the way and time that's different.   
  
I nodded. I tried to stand up, but I got dizzy in the process. I looked at the back of my hand. Blood was still flowing out of it.   
  
You're losing blood.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Aximili placed a firm hand over the cut and applied pressure.   
  
That made the bleeding stop.


End file.
